Centrifugal apparatus



J. F. WAIT CENTRIFUGAL APPARATUS Filed Dec. 13, 1920 2 Sheets$heet 1 aweswag April 29, 19241. 492,498

J. F. WAIT CENTRIFUGAL APPARATUS Filed Dec. 13 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 x-xAxis o mzm I .9.

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. Application filed December 13, 1920. Serial No. 430,348.

To all whom it may coacem:

Be i 'known that Jo's'rm F. WAIT, citizen of the United States, residingat New York city, in the county of Bronx and State of New York, hasinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Centrifugal Ap-.

paratus, of which the followingis a specification.

In the manufacture of chemical compounds or in the alteration of theforms of chemical com ounds and likewise in the separation ancombination of various substances it is often desirable to employ theuseof pressure created by the centrifugal force of the masses, thisforce being developed -by the rotation of these masses. The method ofmanufacture or separation, etc.,

as indicated above, permits of the produc tion of purer products withhigher yields than is possible by ordinary means and makes itpossible tocarry out reactions or alterations otherwise impossible or impracticableby ordinary means.

The pressure developed within amass of some substance contained withinarotating vessel is dependent upon the density of the mass, the speed ofrotation, the depthof the liquid and the distance of the part of themass under consideration from the center of rotation. This pressure hasa definite mathematical value for any .set of conditions of speed,specific gravity, depth. and radius ofv rotation. The pressure in anygiven section of themass increases as the geometric center of this 'massmoves away" from the'center of rotation, other factors,

I order to secure high being constant.

pressure it is ther fore desirable to have the mass at as great adistance from the center of rotation as is possible.

-Many upon the application of pressure in excess of atmospheric pressurefor the com lete reaction. With the ordinary design 0 apparatus for theproduction of high pres sures many mechanical dii ficulties areencountered. By the generation of th1s pressure in the manner suggested,these difliculties are for the most partovercome. The apparatus proposedhas the added advantage and of affording a simple means of procuringhigh pressures and at low temperatures.

In order to carry out the above mentloned processes for the applicationof highpreschemical reactions are dependent I of permittingof continuousoperation.

sure to chemical reactions or alterations of substances I have inventedthe following 'types of. apparatus which may be-adapted to processes ofthis'sort. The apparatus in which the process is operated consists of arotating vessel of a cylindrical or conical shape. The uses of this formwith the addition of the necessary supplementary chambers within thevessel to produce certain desired results which are essential to thesuccessful operation of the processes mentioned are believed to be new,and the various forms and combinations of them. with the supplementarychambers and other parts hereinafter described constitute my invention.

" Iii the accompanying drawings Figs. 1

is preferably cylindrical in shape-and which encloses an inner shell ordrum B.

The inner shell is so des gned as to force all of the enteringsubstances which pass into the vessel through an axial inlet fD to takea definite path in flowing towards the discharge. The path shouldinclude positive restriction in the chamber F between the shells, thedistance between the inner shell and the outer shell defining the widthor sectional area of the chamber andv being less than the distancebetween the 'outer shell and the discharge lip or orifice edge of theaxial outlet E. This simple form with inlet and outlet at opposite endsis cited as an example but the simple chamber type of apparatusinvolving this same rinciple may have anyone of many other orms. It isthis principle of construction causing a definite path of flow-and hencethe development of pressure (within the contents of the vessel) ofdefinite values for definite time periods, the latter being a functionof the sectional area of the sub stance at the place underconsideration, the

the length of the uantity flowing and that is'characteristic c amber ofthat area, of my invention.

Another form ofthis apparatus in which the chamber is more complicatedand the path of flow more extensive is shown in Fig. 2. In this type ofapparatusthere is a plurality of concentric chambers F with a pluralityof concentric walls and passages therebetween communicating at oppositeends alternately which cause the substances passing through theapparatus to travel through the outermost section, the width or radialdistance between the outer shell and the guiding shell, on the outerside of the last flow-way, being less than the distance between theouter shell and the discharge lip or orifice edge E. The outlet E may beat either end of the apparatus with respect to the inlet D.

In one form of apparatus the chamber H may be included. This chamber mayconsist of a suitably shaped shell with the necessary inlet and outletchannels 71 so that a cooling fluid may be led into and dischargedtherefrom. An electric or other unit or means G may also be applied toheat the vessel. A

In some processes it is desirable to feed substances into the reactingchamber or portion under high pressures in such a manner as to preventtwo components thereof from mixing or coming into contact before theyhave become subjected to pressure in excess of atmospheric. In someinstances it is desirable to heat one or more of the components beforethey become mixed or are brought into contact with one another.

I To carry out such a reaction, the apparatus shown in Fig. 3 in one ofits many forms may be applied. In this case there are two componentparts which are to enter the reaction vessel separately, one of thesebeing heated before the contact. D and J -represent the inlets of thetwo components.

the electrical unit G The component entering D is heated by or itsequivalent. The point of contact of mixing is in this case K, thecomponents being kept separated by a cupped wall L untilthey reach thispoint. v

My invention in this case includes the means whereby two or morecomponent parts are passed into a rotating vessel and permitted to enterinto contact only after they have been subjected to pressure in excessof atmospheric and a means whereby heat may be applied to one or all ofthe entering components. after they have become subjected to a pressurein excess of -atmospheric.

In order to assist in some reaction it is desirable to add or abstractheat from the substances subjected to the pressures in excess ofatmospheric. For this purpose my invention includes means for heatingand cooling the contents of the revolving vessel by which these contentsare subjected to'the pressure'mentioned. Any one of the common methodssuch as interal or external electrical or' steam heating maybe applieddepending upon the temperatures to be maintained and the nature of thereaction. For cooling any commonly known agent such as cold Water orbrine or the direct expansion of ammonia may be resorted to, theselection of cooling agent depending entire- 1y upon the conditions ofreaction.

The application of anelectric potential to reacting substances whilethey are subjected to a pressure in excess of atmospheric assists incarrying out many chemical reactions and in producing modifications andseparating substances. My invention therefore includes means forapplying an electrical potential to two or more electrodes laced withinsubstances while they are main ained at a pressure in excess ofatmospheric. Figure 4 indicates one possible position of two electrodes6 and 7, each of which is con- ,nected to a source of electrical energy.The electric potential may be used for the generation of heat, forproducing a chemical reaction or for producing a physical reaction suchas a separation or combination.

Vith some reactions'it is desirable to introduce a gas into a liquidsubstance while the latter is under pressure'in excess of atmospheric.For this purpose my invention includes ways and means whereby a gaseousmaterial may be passed or injected into the contents of a rotatingvessel.

The injection may be carried out by means of a jet for entering liquidwithin an opening connecting with a gas supply somewhat as the commontype of aspirator or air ejector. Such a device is shown in Figure 5. inwhich the gas enters through a pipe S, and the liquid through a pipe R.Another possible form suitable for use with gases which are initiallyunder a pressure in excess of atmospheric consists of a tube forconveying the feed liquid with a small nozzle therein which is attachedto the gas supply. Any form equivalent to these in action may besubstituted for the type described. The discharge from the injector mustbe within the substances contained in the vessel.

In some reactions it is also desirable to prevent large particles frompassingthrough the rotating vessel. These particles may be componentparts of the reaction or they may be parts of a catalyst. For thepurpose of retaining such particles my invention includes means wherebythe contents of the rotating vessel are filtered. the filtration beingcarried out in general as indicated in Figure 6 wherein M is thefiltering medium or drumand l? the inner support or perforated drum forthe same, the direction of flow through this mediumbeing in generaltowards the axis of rotation or else parallel to it due entirely to thepressure rection.

meaees exerted by the centrifugal force of the masses, the finaldischarge being usually out one end of the vessel or b any other meansthan through the side urthest from the axis of rotation.

In'some forms of apparatus it is desirable to combine the\ types ofvessels with special chambers as above described under the various casescited with the means for filtration.

The invention also includes a means for confining a catalyst in theouter-section of the rotatingvessel so that the catalyst will beavailable there for assisting thereactioh. The form of apparatus shownin Figure 7 will permit of operation in this manner. In this apparatus Ris an annular screen or other equivalent structure in each end of theouter chamber whose function it is to confine the catalyst Y to onesection of the chamben For reactions involving gaseous substances it isfrequently desirable to secure thorough mixing by means of a structureequivalent to that shown in Figure 8, wherein a section of the innershell B carries a plurality of external saw teeth T, holes or otherequivalent devices for distributing the gas and causing it to mixthoroughly. S represents the gas inlet, D the liquid inlet and E thedischarge.

In order to insure complete flow'of all of the particles through therotating vessel it is sometimes desirable to place ribs, guides, vanesor other devices to give positive flow to all the component parts in thedesired d1- Figure 9 illustrates this type of construction, with aspiral rib N on the outer side of the inner drum B.

Thus for carrying out reactions with viscous substances or substanceswhich should be thoroughly mixed or which need mechanical assistanceinpassing through the vessel, ribbons, feet, small buckets or otherattach merits must be provided to act as a mechanical conveyor (as N inFigure 9) to assist in the movement of the materi s. These may bestationary or have relative motion with reference to the outside wallsof the vessel, as would be the case of drum B revolved slowly withrespect to drum A.

For operation on processes yielding o1- sonous vapors or in which it isdesire to recover or treat the effluent vapors it is desirable to placethe revolving vessel within a chamber 8 (see Figure 10) whichisconstructed to exclude the outside atmosphere and in which it ispossible to maintain a pressure other than atmospheric. This type ofconstruction also finds application with substances having a volatileconstituent or component parts which must be treated in an inert orother atmosphere, with composi tion difierent than air. A product inletV and a product outlet L could be attached to the chamber 0 as well asthe vapor inlet or outlet Z,

This invention relates to apparatus for carrying out those processeswhich are dependent upon the positive maintenance of pressure 1n excessof atmospheric upon the.

reacting components for the carrying out of the desired reaction, thegeneral construction being such that this pressure is de veloped by thecentrifugal force of the masses, the centrifugal force in turn beingcreated by the revolution of the masses with in the vessel.

The means for supporting and revolving the vessel are not shown, as theywould be supplied by any one skilled in the art, involving merely theuse of such supports and power devices as are known to produce rotationof the vessel.

I claim:

1. A rotary vessel for the treatment of substances under pressure inexcess of atmospheric, provided with a chamber within the bowlconstricted to insure a definite rate and direction of flow of thesubstances as they are passed through the vessel; and also provided witha secondary chamber therein adapted to receive and discharge a secondarysubstance into the main chamber, such secondary chamber being separatedat the inlet from the main chamber,

3. A rotating vessel adapted to the development of pressure, havingtherein a filtering medium and having an axial inlet at one end and anaxial outlet at the opposite end, and means to cause the passage of theliquids through the filtering medium towards the center of rotation ofthe vessel and said axial outlet 4. rotary vessel for centrifugal actioncomprising an outer drum having an axial inlet and outlet, an inner drumwithin said drum, and forming therewith a constricted annular space, anda secondary axial inlet communicating with said space, to discharge asecondary substance into the same.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JUSTIN F. WAIT. Witnesses:

MICHAEL R. CUsAcK, J. CLAUDE CONNELLY.

